Channeled tube light fixture with housed yieldable socket means



y 1952 A. o. BOUTELLE ET AL 2,597,060

I CHANNELED TUBE LIGHT FIXTURE WITH HOUSED I YIELDABLE SOCKET MEANS Filed June 12, 1947 v 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 b 33 39 o o h w L .27 j 6/ \50 6/ I 5 INUENTORS AME/v 0.6041721! 64 kaaser C. K0052 Tv-oRNev 5 y 20, 1952 A. o. BOUTELLE ET AL CHANNELED TUBE LIGHT FIXTURE WITH HOUSED YIELDABLE SOCKET MEANS Filed June 12, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 mveNw-oa 4445M 0. 8007151.;5

Eaamer a. kuase 4, 2. Z AM AM ATTOENEYfi Patented May 20, 1952 UNITED: STATES er NT FFICE HANN L D T B HT FIX U H. HOUSED YIELDABLE SOGKET MEANS Application June 12, 1947, Serial No. 754,094 16 Claims, (01. 240951.11)

This invent on elates to np evernen s in ub light fixtureshe veral objects hi he eni n inc de th nrevisipn of a novel fixture ha ing nv ni nt means for mennt ne it either p rm n y or suspendin it as a pin-hp amp; the p s on f a novelbase nd eat censtrna n whi h c li a es assemb y by m untin all of the l r cal parts and ceneetions with lathe xc p f the switch upon thebase where hey r mpl ly expo ed un l the cap isappl ed n r he .coinnlete y hou ed; the rnrevisio o v l t rminal sockets fac lita in the intro dn ti and remeva .o thefluorescent li ht; and the pr vi n a r enforcedhase an can secn w r i th flan es which provide en o em ar t lescopi ally in ereh agedto p o vide a conduit for the wiring.

Other objects will be better apparent from e following disclosure of the inv n ien.

In the drawings:

F 1 is a view i front evatien of apfll filfiscent light fixture embodying theinwention.

2 is a V ew perspect ve showin the base, and an p t ons of the deviceas they app while sl htly separa ed- F 3 i n nl d f a m nta y-detail i w of the'device in longitudinal section.

Fi 4 is a view in ran erse ection onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

s- 5 is a v w n transvers sen -inn lar ely en the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

F 61s a view on the scales-f Bi 1 1ntasrnen tar y sh w n the fixture e tiahy in :ir nt el vation a d p -1v in transverse sentien- As bes sh wn n Fi :2, the base i! s enrim- DTOVed fix ompr es ll e on ted plfi fi havn outwa d y p i c n iiansest ands t rou hut most of the len th If its sides- --Wh le th fixture may be used horizontally if desired, it is normally used vertically and it will be so described with the understanding that the reference to the positions of the respective parts is relative.

Near the top of the base plate ;'I is a keyhole slot in which is particularly useful for tempo.- rary mounting of the fixture as a pin-up lamp. Below this, and at a point between the flanges 8 and 9, we provide a sheet of insulation 11 upon which is disposed an insulating block 12. Upon the block l2 are mounted a pair of conductor springs l3 and M which provide yieldingmechansical support for the socket insulator 15, while also carrying current to the socket vcontacts 1.6, H, The rivets [8 pass through the base jplate I tohold the spring conductors 13. M thereto.

2 Th heads of he riv ts n ulated he e th centimete s b sh et of virt sn et en t l9 end in ula in bush ng .2 (Figs 3 end 6 The e- .spesti-ve r q dneters ere s ou dered at :2! sh eesensent wit the low r o he sup rt his insu ating b ock @12- .A thei ethe wi f e n er e d the served spring conductors I3, is are connected by the rivets 2. t h e eet i see et l te he hy a h i e to snsh p ate are the re i ntly flexible shri e con ests It, it best shown i Fi s-,3 a d T e pl te s r ded w th 9 t eser nres 2s 3 he th on es ins 25 e fluo e cen tube l m 2 w e b sneh n h e ti s h ehsh t se k lete 1. see t e resneeth'e termi a ee teets it, .I 9w e .respes. .ve shenld rsz o the sp in a s eendnetors rovid te nal it-3,25 "t the respect ve wires 39, sslel red as s ewn' i his 'lhwe d the low ren e the as ate i rivete an le hreek 33 h ch prev-id s eletlsvety e sup ort, z e the dieleet ie s cket plate sshi Pla e hesenertnres 6, 3 t r ee ve the teemihal pins 38 the pwe end 9f the tub lam t"? th shewn n Fi He in riv ts 38, B t thed eleetr plate .34 are the sp se nt et 41 #2 s9 bea n t t thei resi ie is. flexible thee-end are behind he apertures .35 to re e ve et rns 9f the tube lamp ins hfili s o t e 1 e pr tecti e shie d 43 is ent ene 'llhewi esei, 115 lead ng to th respective sp. ne,- .cen e .4 A? m y he o d red to the rive 39, es tel- Below the relatively rigid terminal socket just 1 es. ;i e the :hesei prpt ded wi h ibosses 46. 4 spanned i desi ed b a sheet .of di l ctr material at npen wh ch the ballast m m er d is, he d b r vets 5 ass n throu h the .hoss- 4B 4. e Q Q61- the v eld h e socket Lcarried at the npper end f the base and the relative y rigid eeehe inear the lower end ,of the base, the base has the of an elongated channel which open and unobstructed save .for the outwardly formed bosses 51, 52; each of which has one tapped opening '53 and one additionalopening 54. The openings 54 are designed to receive wood screws or. nails .or other fastening means tor #the permanent emountingrof :the fixture, while the c em-rigs .at.s53 are tapped to receive screws whereby theicap member is'applied to the base as {h reinafter described.

it will she obsenved that all of the electrical #5 :parts with theiexception -of .a switch herein-after to be described are mounted on the base in positions where they are fully exposed when the cap is lifted as shown in Fig. 2. Consequently, wiring can be practically completed with great facility due to the accessibility of the ballast and the socket terminals. The wires leading to the upper socket terminals 28, 29 will pass upwardly through the channel 1 at either side of the bosses 5!, 52.

For enclosing these parts to complete the fixture not only in an ornamental sense, but for the protection of all of the electrical parts, we provide a cap member which comprises an inverted channel 56 having side flanges 5'8, 59 complementary to, and. telescopically engaged over, the opposing flanges 8 and 9 of the base member 1. There is no lateral contact between flanges 58, 59 and flanges 8 and 9 except near the ends of the latter. At intermediate points, as shown in Fig. 6, the flanges of the cap member are spaced from those of the base. Near the ends of the base, the flanges of the cap member are formed inwardly to receive the respective end caps 60, 6| which are welded thereto as indicated at 63 in Fig. 2. By reason of the inward offset of the flanges 58 and 59 of the cap channel 56, the end caps 61] and BI are externally flush with the sides of the channel 56.

Each of the end caps 60 and BI is closed at its extreme end and open toward the center of the fixture as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Thus the respective fixed and yieldable sockets are enclosed by the end caps, but are accessible for engagement by the pins or prongs of the tube lamp 2'! as shown in Fig. 3. Cap BI may be slightly longer than end cap 60 because it also encloses the ballast 48 and houses a switch 64. The base member 1 has an upstanding tab at 65 through which the electrical supply cord 66 enters through grommet 61 to the switch and the other electrical parts. The length of the cord leading to and from the switch is suflicient to permit the entire cap structure readily to be separated from the base to the extent shown in Fig. 2 for convenient access to all of the electrical connections.

The inverted channel portion 56 of the cap member has rearwardly projecting bosses 6B, 69 complementary to the bosses 5!, 52 of the base and similarly apertured. Through the apertures nearest the center of the respective bosses pass the screws which hold the cap member to the base. Through the registering apertures remaining in the respective bosses may be passed the mounting screws or other mounting devices above referred to.

While it is not necessary that the lamp be used in a vertical position as shown, it will be noted that when it is so used, the weight of a tube lamp 21 inserted in the fixture is borne by a relatively fixed socket. That is to say, the dielectric socket plate 35 is relatively unyielding, although the contact springs 4| are folded upon themselves so that their free ends, upon which the pins 38 of the tube lamp rest, have limited downward. yielding movement before contacting portions of the springs which are relatively unyielding because close to the rivets upon which they are mounted.

Lamps may be inserted or removed without removing the cap member. To remove the lamp shown in Fig. 3, it is only necessary to lift it sufiiciently so that its prongs 38 will clear the lower end cap 6|. The resiliently flexible conductor springs l3, l4 readily permit the entire upper socket assembly to yield upwardly into the end cap 6|] for this purpose. When the lower end of the tube lamp clears the lower end cap 6|, the lower end of the tube lamp is swung about outwardly and the lamp is withdrawn from the upper end 60. After the upper socket plate [5 has followed the withdrawal of the tube lamp to the approximate position shown in Fig. 3, under the bias of springs I3, 14, it will come to rest and thereupon the continued movement of the tube lamp in an outward and downward direction will withdraw its prongs 26 from the socket apertures 24, 25. Replacement of the lamp involves the insertion of the upper end of the lamp beneath the overhanging end cap 60 and engagement of its prongs 26 in the apertures 24, 25. Thereupon upward thrust on the lamp tube causes the upper socket plate [5 to yield into the end cap 60 until the tube prongs 38 clear the lower end cap 6|, whereupon the tube lamp is swung into registry with the lower socket plate 35 and the upward pressure thereon is relaxed until the prongs 38 enter the socket apertures 36, 31, as shown.

Some resilient yielding movement is provided for in all of the several contacts but in all cases such yielding movement is limited by the fact that the inwardly folded free end portion of each respective contact will shortly engage a relatively rigid portion of the contact. The resilience of the contacts is merely to ensure proper electrical connection with the prongs of the tube lamp and it is the resilience of the conductor springs I3, [4 which permits insertion and removal of the lamp. This same resilience obviously contributes to the electrical engagement and the contacts which engage the lamp prongs may be made unyielding, if desired, although the disclosed arrangement is preferred.

We claim:

1. A fixture of the character described for a tube light having terminal prongs, said fixture comprising the combination with a channel base member having lateral flanges, of a ballast mounted on the base member, a first socket plate provided with a substantially unyielding mounting and disposed near one end of said base member between said flanges, a second socket plate provided with a yieldable mounting and disposed adjacent the other end of said base member between said flanges, a closure unit comprising a channeled closure member having flanges complementary to those of the base member and telescopically engaged thereover, socket caps comprising fixed parts of said closure unit and connected adjacent the. ends of said closure channel member, each of said capsenclosing one of said socket plates, and the closure channel member coacting with the channel base member to provide a wiring conduit between said socket plates.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said'socket plates is providedwith socket apertures and resilient contacts each comprising a strip conductor fixed to the plate at one side of an aperture therein and extending across the aperture in spaced relation to the plate and folded back upon itself in proximity to the plate and provided With a free end contiguous to the aperture, whereby pressure of a terminal prong inserted through the aperture to engage such free end Will flex such free end toward the portion of said strip which crosses the aperture in spaced relation to the plate.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the resiliently yieldable socket plate has a mounting comprising a pair of resiliently flexible conductors disposed side by side and arcuately formed, each of said conductors having a portion rigidly fixed to the base member and provided with insulation therefrom and another portion flxedto said plate. I

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the resiliently yieldable socket plate has a mounting comprising a pair of resiliently flexible conductors disposed side by side and arcuately formed, each of said conductors having a portion rigidly fixed to the base member and provided with insulation therefrom and another portion fixed to said plate, said plate having apertures across which the respective conductors extend in spaced relation to the plate, and contact springs disposed between the respective conductors and the dielectric plate and each comprising a first portion spaced 'from'the plate behind the aperture and a second portion folded back upon the'first portion between the first portion and the plate and having a free end adjacent such apermm.

5. In the device of the character described, a tube lamp fixture comprising a base, an apertured dielectric plate hav'inga relatively rigid bracket connected with said base to project at right angles therefrom, a second dielectric plate remote from the first and provided with apertures, an insulating support on said base, a pair of resiliently flexible spring conductors fixed on said support in connection with the base and fixed to said second plate and upon which the second plate is freely yieldable bodily, and resiliently yieldable contacts mounted on each of said plates and having yieldable portions connected with the conductors and disposed behind the apertures of the plates.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the said spring conductors have connectors attaching them to the second plate, the spring contacts of said second plate being held by the same connectors.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the said spring conductors have connectors attaching them to the second plate, the spring contacts of said second plate being held by the same connectors, and each of said last mentioned contacts comprising a first portion extending along its respective conductor in spaced relation to the plate, and a second portion folded back upon the first between the first portion and the plate and having a free end portion contiguous to an aperture of the plate.

8. A tube lamp fixture comprising an elongated channeled base member provided with flanges, an electrical ballast mounted on said base member near one end thereof, an angle bracket connected with the brace member adjacent the ballast and between the flanges, a dielectric plate connected to the bracket and thereby to the base member, said plate having laterally spaced apertures, spring contacts riveted to the plate and each having a first portion spaced from the plate behind one of said apertures, and a free end portion folded between the first portion and the plate and yieldably disposed behind a respective aperture, a dielectric support connected with the base member adjacent its other end, resiliently flexible spring conductors mounted on the support and extending curvilinearly toward the end of, and away from, the base member, the second dielectric plate having laterally spaced apertures across which said conductor springs extend to said second plate, rivets connecting the conductor springs with the plate, resiliently flexible contact elements held by said rivets between the conduc- 6 tor springs and the plate and each'having a first portion extending across an aperture of the plate in spaced relation to the plate, and a second free end portion bent between the first portion and the plate in proximity to a respective aperture thereof, electrical wiring operatively connecting the spring conductors, the ballast and the contacts of the plate first mentioned, and a closure removably connected with the base and comprising acomplementary channel having flanges nested over those of the base, said closure having end caps connected with the closure channel and housing the respective dielectric plates aforesaid.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein the base and the-closure channel have complementary bossesin substantial facecontact in an intermediate plane and provided with registering apertures, together with screws connecting said apertures, the space about said bosses and between the flanges of the base and closure channel constituting an electrical conduit for said wiring.

10. A tube lamp fixture comprising a channel base member having bosses projecting into the chamber space defined by the flanges, socket elements mounted on the base member between the flanges for receiving a tube lamp, and a channel closure member telescoped over said base member and having bosses projecting into the space between the flanges of the closure member, the base and the closure members together with the bosses co-acting in defining separate conduits for electrical connections between said socket elements, the bosses havingregistered openings for mounting of the fixture and for mounting the closure memberon the base member.

11. A tube lamp fixture comprising a channel base member, socket elements mounted on the base member between the flanges for receiving a tube lamp, a channel closure member telescoping over the base member between the sockets, the flanges of the closure member being formed inwardly toward each other at the ends thereof for engagement with the flanges of the base memher, and socket caps integrally joined with the closure member at the inwardly formed flanged portions thereof extending past the ends of the closure to conceal the sockets and bringing the closure member and the cap side surfaces substantially into common planes.

12. For use in a tube light fixture having relatively fixed and yieldable sockets for terminal prongs of tube lights, a yieldable socket comprising a dielectric plate having apertures to receive said tube light prongs, spring contact elements carried by said plate and having yieldable por tions behind said apertures to be engaged by tube light prongs projecting through said apertures, and separate resiliently yieldable conductors of flat strip metal having dielectric mounting means and individually connected with said dielectric plate and the respective contacts aforesaid, said spring contact elements and resilient conductors being independently yieldable, said plate and. contacts being unitarily movable bodily upon the yielding of said conductors incident to the mounting of a lamp, the resilience of the said conductors providing bias of said dielectric plate and contacts to urge said contacts against tube light prongs engaged in the apertures of the plate.

13. For use in a tube light fixture having relatively fixed and movable sockets for mechanical and electrical connection with tube light prongs, a socket device comprising a dielectric support, a pair of strip metal conductors individually attached to said support and extending in substantially like arcs therefrom, a dielectric plate disposed with an edge toward said support and provided with prong-receiving apertures, rivets connecting said plate with the ends of said strip conductors beyond said apertures, and contact elements interposed between the conductors and the dielectric plate and anchored by said rivets and extending behind said apertures from said rivets toward said support.

14. The device of claim 13 in which the respective conductors have portions adjacent their ends which are ofiset from the dielectric plate and in substantial parallelism therewith behind said rivets, the said contact elements respectively having correspondingly offset portions and having resiliently yieldable free ends folded back upon themselves between said ofiset portions and the prong-receiving apertures of said plate.

15. A tube light fixture comprising as a first unit a base channel having electrical parts including a ballast, spaced sockets projecting outwardly from the base channel and wiring connecting the ballast and sockets in operative electrical connection, and a second unit comprising in a single integral structure a closure channel portion inverted with respect to the base channel and terminating short of the sockets, and terminal cap portions for the respective sockets extending beyond the ends of the closure channel portion and enclosing said projecting sockets, said channels being nested together to provide a closed electrical conduit between said sockets, said channels being provided with means for connecting them in nested position, the removal of said second unit'fully exposing in one operation the sockets, the ballast and the wiring.

8 16. The device of claim 15 in which the second unit comprises an electrical switch connected to such wiring, all electrical parts other than the switch being mounted upon the first unit whereby removal of the second unit removes the switch but not said other electrical parts.

ALLEN O. BOUTELLE. ROBERT C. KUDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,258,827 Todd. Mar. 12, 1918 2,099,020 La Ducer Nov. 16, 1937 2,285,175 Sparling June 2, 1942 2,296,114 Mueller et a1 Sept. 15, 1942 2,297,886 Gustin et al. Oct. 6, 1942 2,301,238 Alm Nov. 10, 1942 2,308,986 Livers Jan. 19, 1943 2,313,983 YoSt et a1 Mar. 16, 1943 2,345,234 Carter Mar. 28, 1944 2,369,123 Abshire Feb. 13, 1945 2,391,325 Maurette Dec. 18, 1945 2,403,968 Dansereau July 16, 1946 2,454,017 Swanson Nov. 16, 1948 2,459,647 Hodgkins Jan. 18, 1949 2,461,446 Schepmoes Feb. 8, 1949 2,492,852 Fine Dec. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 564,685 Germany Nov. 21, 1932 

